The Water, Energy, Land-use Nexus programme in Central Asia together with Green Central Asia II facilitated the Sixth Regional Working Group Meeting, held in Bishkek on 16 July 2026. The meeting convened over 50 participants from Central Asian ministries, regional institutions, and international development partners to explore practical pathways towards more mutually beneficial water-energy co-operation.
Discussions focused on approaches to defining the value of water for energy, agriculture and ecosystems across the region, as well as on the potential of digital technologies and data analytics to further strengthen water-energy-environmental co-operation. The exchange provided an opportunity for participants to share national and regional perspectives and identify areas for continued dialogue.
Key messages from the event:
- All Central Asian countries should develop a common understanding of key terminology related to water-energy co-operation in the region.
- There is a need for a common approach to value water. It could include, for example, physical withdrawals to include river flow formation, accumulation and regulation, foregone hydropower generation, avoided losses through water-saving investments, ecosystem services, glacier conservation, among others.
- Ecological and economic considerations should be jointly reflected in water-energy co-operation, including through, for example, possible co-financing mechanisms for glacier conservation, watersheds, reforestation, monitoring, adaptation and disaster risk reduction.
- Digitalisation, water accounting, precise hydrological data and transparent information-sharing were identified as necessary conditions for assessing water value, reducing losses and strengthening regional water security.
- Existing modelling and data tools should be better aligned with countries’ practical decision-making needs to support water-energy co-operation across the region.
Further information about this event can also be found here.